Identification of the human papillomavirus E2 protein in genital tract tissues.

A 27-kilodalton protein representing approximately 60% of the E2 open reading frame of human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV-6) was synthesized in a bacterial expression system. Affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to this protein detected the probable E2 gene product as a 50-kilodalton protein in most condylomas by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis. The E2-positive condylomas were associated with HPV-6, HPV-11, HPV-16, or unidentified HPVs.